"A Note on Journalism: Changing Processes, Perceptions, and Publics" will be presented at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, in Xavier Hall, room 332.

This talk, sponsored by Psi Theta in the Department of Communication, will focus on the changing nature of journalism.

Matt Carlson, Ph.D., will discuss the implications of a growing technology-enabled "democratic voice" in United States politics through the case study of the 2007 CNN-YouTube debates. These debates allowed voters to upload homemade video questions to YouTube which in turn were posed to Democratic and Republican presidential candidates on CNN during the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. This novel format allowed a different kind of voice to be heard in the mediation of politics, but it was also one constrained by traditional journalistic gatekeepers.

Amber Hinsley, Ph.D., will discuss a project entitled "Perception gap: How journalists see their work and how the public sees journalists." Journalists say their primary job roles are to get stories covered that should be covered, be objective and act as watchdogs for the public.

Unfortunately, they think the public doesn't value their work, saying that changes in public attitudes and trust (as well as technology and economy) have resulted in negative perceptions of journalists.